Ian Ebbs, of 69 Hazelwood, was at Bray District Court on Monday to plead guilty to having 68 Ecstasy tablets for sale or supply at Station Road, Bray on December 4, 2004.

Garda Margo Kennedy told the court that she had gone to Station Road on foot of a call about a group of youths acting strangely in the area.

She searched the youths. Ian Ebbs dropped a bag containing a number of white tablets, which were later discovered to be 68 Ecstasy tablets.

Ebbs, who has five previous convictions, admitted the charge.

He had been in and out of work for the past number of years, said his solicitor Mr Brendan Moloney, and he was deeply embarrassed and ashamed over the incident.

He was going to sell the tablets to friends for ?5 each.

Judge Haughton said he found it difficult to accept the defendant's explanation that he was going to sell the drugs to his friends and happened by accident to find himself selling them to strangers at Bray Dart station.

It was a serious offence and E a dangerous drug, he added.

Ebbs was remanded on bail to March 10 next while a community service report was prepared.